"AHOY ARCADIA! Permission to land." One of the rowboats was approaching the dock. A surprised murmur rose from the crowd. "Permission granted!" Bellowed Sam. A dockhand threw out a rope that had been coiled on the dock. The rowboat was pulled in and a man with long dark hair and a beard to match climbed up the ladder. "I am Fidel Amour, Captain of the Zophiel. I wish to speak with the Council of Arcadia."

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The Council usually met in one of the small warehouses by the docks and that is where the retired to with the Captain of the Zophiel. Duncan took the other council members aside briefly; "There’s no time to be explainin’ it now, but the new woman, Jennifer, needs to be attendin’ this meeting." The others accepted this without question, but with a few raised eyebrows and exchanged glances.

Sam started bustling about making them all comfortable, offering up a small keg of beer and some bread when the Captain interrupted him. "Please! Do not trouble yourself on my behalf. I know times have been hard here for a while now. Indeed, that is what has brought me here. I have been contracted by someone who wishes to extend an anonymous hand to help.

"I have aboard my ship supplies and workmen enough to refurbish and build up your village, dredging equipment to deepen your harbor so as it might accommodate more ships such as the Zophiel, and goods and merchandise to reestablish trade. Work will begin immediately, as word has gone out to your neighboring communities that Arcadia will be once again available for trade come next season."

The Council members all looked at one another and were quiet for a moment.

"Ye not only knew the name of this place and where it was before ye set sail, ye knew of our plight and ye came with the answers to all our prayers." Walter was incredulous. "Are ye the Devil himself come to make a pact?"

The Captain smiled gently, "The only dark force I’ve been involved with of late that I know of, was a storm we managed to outrun last week. To assuage any misgivings you may have towards that end, I have also been mandated to build a church atop a certain flat hill outside the Village a ways."

Every hair on her arms and on the back of Jennifer’s neck stood straight up.

"There be folks ‘round here who’ve been wanting a church for some time now." Said Marta, thoughtfully. "How is it our ‘benefactor’ is knowin’ so much about the details of this place?" Sam asked, "No one who arrives ever wants to leave. The only way people leave here is when they die. Except for the Foundress, that is."

Walter chimed in; "No one ever knows the name of this place they are coming to or how to get here, except for you."

"And only two people have ever arrived here without benefit of a ship." Duncan said.

"Two! Who else besides the Foundress?" Demanded Marta.

"Jennifer, here." was his answer.